This invention relates to a card connector, and in particular, to a card connector with an ejector for receiving a PC card or an IC (Integrated Circuit) card.
Generally speaking, a conventional card connector with ejector comprises a generally U-shape insulator frame consisting of a pair of guide arms extending in parallel with each other from front ends to rear ends, and an insulator bridge portion mechanically connecting the guide arms to each other at portions near their rear ends. The frame defines a card-receiving slot between the guide arms and a front open so that the card-receiving slot opens frontward. The guide arms guide a PC card inserted into the slot through the front opening. One of the guide arms has a polarity key for insuring the PC card to be inserted into the card-receiving slot with a correct position in its inserting direction and in its surface upward. That is, the polarity key prevents the PC card from being inserted into the card-receiving slot with an erroneous direction and/or with a reversed card surface upward.
The frame is usually formed into a single plastic body molded by the plastic molding process.
The bridge portion fixedly supports a set of contact elements from electrically connecting with the PC card receiving in the card-receiving slot.
Further, the eject mechanism is mounted on the frame so as to eject the PC card from a connecting state where the PC card is received in the card-receiving slot and is connected to the contact elements. The eject mechanism comprises a slide plate slidably mounted on the bridge portion, a lever pivotally mounted on the bridge portion and having an end engaging with the slide plate, and a ejector button or rod slidably mounted to one of the guide arms and having a rear end engaging with the other end of the lever. In the connecting state of the PC card, when the ejector button is pushed rearward, the lever is rotated and drives the slide plate frontward. The slide plate has claws which engage with the PC card, and therefore, the slide plate pushed the PC card frontward. As a result, the PC card is ejected from the connecting state.
The known card connector is disclosed in, for example, JP-A 10-134884.
In the recent development of portable apparatus such as note-book type personal computers, mobile telephone sets, and others, it is required that the card connector as well as other parts is reduced in size, tall, and weight.
In the known card connector structure, it is impossible to reduce the frame size because of reduction of strength accompanied. It is not desired to omit the ejector mechanism for reducing the tall of the card connector.
In the prior art, there are two ways for mounting card connector on a printed circuit board, one is usually referred to as a standard type where the card connector is mounted on an upper surface of the printed circuit, the other one is referred to as a reverse type where the card connector is mounted on a lower or reverse surface. Either the former or the latter is selected in compliance with the conditions of parts, function, etc. of apparatus. When the card connector is mounted in the lower surface of the printed circuit board, it must be turned up and down in comparison with the standard type. Accordingly, the PC card must also be turned up and down and inserted in an apparatus having the card connector mounted in the reverse type. This is troublesome for users of the apparatus containing the card connector in the standard type or the reversed type. For avoiding this problem, it is desired that the card is permitted to be always inserted in the card connector in the apparatus with its upper surface upside. To this end, there must be provided two kinds of card connectors for the standard type and for the reverse type which are different in polarity key positions. This causes high cost of the card connector because of, mainly, two different mold required.
Further, the conventional card connector is fixedly mounted on the printed circuit board by means of the hold-downs or screw-bolts. This mounting structure needs a relatively broad mounting are on the printed circuit board and is a bar for small sizing the apparatus using the card connector.
Further, the conventional card connector has a grounding lug to be connected to a ground pattern on the printed circuit board through a screw or other parts. Consequently, the grounding structure is complicated, and an electrical resistance between the grounding lug and the ground pattern is increased by presence of the screw and other parts therebetween.
In use of the card connector, there is usually remained a distance or gap between a lower surface of the card connector and a facing surface of the printed circuit board on which the card connector is mounted. The distance or gap is called xe2x80x9cstandoffxe2x80x9d. The frame is usually provided with standoff portions projecting on the lower surface of the frame. There are different requirements for the standoff in dependence on various design of the apparatus using the card connector. Therefore, there must be provided different card connectors having standoff portions of different sizes. This also increases cost of the card connector. Further, the standoff portions occupy areas on the surface of eh printed circuit board so that circuit components are limited to be mounted on the printed circuit board.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a card connector for PC cards with a reduced size, especially in tall, with a reduced weight, and with a simple structure.
Another object of this invention is to provide a card connector which can commonly used for both of the standard type and the reverse type.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a card connector wherein the standoff is variable.
Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, there is provided a card connector for PC cards, which comprises: a frame comprising a pair of guide arms made of synthetic resin and a metallic bridge connecting between each end of the guide arms, and being formed generally in the U-shape to define a card-receiving slot therein; a connector part assembled in the frame beneath the metallic bridge for electrically connecting with an PC card received in the card-receiving slot; and an eject mechanism for ejecting the PC card from electrical connection with the connector part. The ejector mechanism comprises: a lever pivotally mounted on the metallic bridge; a slider plate slidably mounted on the metallic bridge an engaged with the lever; and an ejector button mounted on one of the guide arms for rotating the lever so as to slide the slider plate when pushed for ejecting the PC card.
In one aspect of the invention, the guide arms may preferably provided with polarity keys which are different each other to prevent the PC card from inserting in a position where the PC card is reversed in front and rear and/or upside down, and both of the guide arms are symmetric to each other except the polarity keys.
The polarity keys of both of the guide arms are preferably thin and thick, respectively.
In another aspect of the invention, each of the guide arms is preferably provided with a ground lug attached thereto and the ground lug has a hook-in for engaging with a printed circuit board on which the card connector is mounted.
The ground lug may preferably have a positioning portion for riding on a surface of the printed circuit board, and the hook-pin and the positioning portion have sizes corresponding to a standoff desired for the card connector.
The ground lug may further have a contact portion to be brought into contact with a ground clip of the PC card.